Three-time Academy Award winner and 19-time nominee
Meryl
Streep
will be jury president of the
66th
Berlin International Film Festival
next year, organizers announced on Wednesday.
“It will be the first time in her long-standing career that this world-famous star takes on the role of a juror at a film festival,” the festival said.
“Meryl
Streep
is one of the most creative and multifaceted film artists,” said
Berlinale
director
Dieter
Kosslick
. “To mark our enthusiasm for her extraordinary talent we awarded her the honorary Golden Bear in 2012 for her lifetime achievement. I am very happy that she is returning to Berlin and with her artistic experience will take on the chairmanship of the
international
jury.”
Streep
, honored with a Golden Globe eight times and nominated an additional 20 times, has been a guest at the Berlin Film Festival on a number of occasions. In 1999, she was awarded the
Berlinale
Camera, and in 2003, together with
Julianne Moore
and
Nicole Kidman
, she shared the Silver Bear award for their performances in
The Hours
.
In 2006, she was in the Berlin festival competition in
Robert Altman
’s ensemble comedy
A Prairie Home Companion
. In 2012, she received the lifetime achievement honor.
“It is a thrill to return to the festival under any circumstances, but it is with great relish and anticipation I look forward to jury duty,” said
Streep
. “The responsibility is somewhat daunting, as I have never been president of anything before, and I hope I can come up to the precedent set by the distinguished juries of preceding years. Grateful for the honor.”
Last year,
Darren
Aronofsky
led the Berlin jury.